Counseling Is For Everyone

If you are in a relationship, whether things are going along swimmingly or you have hit a rough patch recently, couples therapy is always an option. Most people do not think of couples therapy in relationships except as a last resort. However, those people may be missing out on all that could be gained from participating in therapy with their partner or spouse. Get to know more about what you and your partner could gain from couples therapy. Then, you can better decide if and when to meet with a therapist to get the couples therapy process started.

You Can Learn Each Other's Love Languages

There is a theory in modern-day psychology that everyone has their own "love language." Love languages are the ways in which a person expresses and best receives love.

There are five love languages in total. They are physical touch, gifts, words of affirmation, quality time, and acts of service. Each person is more dominant in one of these love languages than the others (though they may use a combination of them).

Learning the love language of yourself and your spouse can make a huge difference in resolving issues in your relationship. There is a good chance you are speaking different love languages and didn't realize what the other person was doing or what they needed from you. Once you know each other's love languages, you can learn ways to better communicate love with one another and understand one another.

You Can Learn Effective Conflict Resolution

No relationship is without its fair share of conflicts. Even if you and your partner fight sometimes, you are not necessarily in a "bad" or "doomed" relationship. Fights happen. It is how you resolve conflict and come together afterward that can really define whether your relationship will be successful going forward.

In therapy, you will work with your partner to develop skills and strategies to resolve conflict effectively and satisfactorily. It is not about someone winning an argument, for example. It is about coming to a resolution that prevents future arguments about the same subject and that works well for both partners.

If you and your partner have a fight, the therapist will walk you through the various steps to conflict resolution, including active listening, using "I messages" and more. Even if you are not fighting at the moment, your therapist can teach you these strategies and give you therapy homework to use them on a regular basis, whether conflicts arise or not.

Now that you know two of the many things you can gain from couples therapy, you can be sure to schedule your first session as soon as possible.